Psychiatric Morbidity in Children with HIV/AIDS at a Tertiary Health Institution in North-central Nigeria.

Introduction: Children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are living longer with the infection and are at risk of different complications. We assessed for the prevalence of and associated factors for psychiatric morbidity among HIV-infected children in a tertiary facility in Ilorin, Nigeria.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional, two-staged study involving 196 HIV-positive children (6-17 years). A semi-structured questionnaire and psychological instruments were used for the study.

Results: Thirty-eight (19.4%) children had psychiatric disorders: attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and enuresis. Single parenthood, HIV clinical stages and complications were associated with psychiatric morbidity. Linear combination of the risk factors was not related to the psychiatric disorder. Bivariate correlation analysis showed the tendency to develop psychiatric disorder among the children was positively correlated with complications in the child and the person the child resides with.

Conclusions: Complicated HIV infection and adverse life events result in elevated risk of having psychiatric morbidity.